Cxtrbeett water-wheel



T. STAMP, OF WE'IUMPKA, ALABAMA.

CURRENT WATER-WHEEL.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 17,119, dated April 21, 1857.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS STAMP, of Wetumpka, in the county of Autauga, in the State of Alabama, have invented a new and useful Improvement on Vater-llheels; and 4I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of thesame, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, in which- Figure (l) is a perspective view, and longitudinal elevation; Fig. (2) is a transverse position of the same.

A A represents the upright timbers of a heavy frame work leaning to the bank of the stream, with an inclination of, from one and a half to two inches to the foot, inthe elevation of the frame, more or less, ascircumstances may require.

B is an upright shaft tted in, and resting on the ground sill C, and attached to the cap sill D, by means of a sliding block, through which, the gudgeon at the upper end of the shaft B passes, as seen at (a) Fig. (l). y

(Z) b) is a horizontal wheel, with a hub supporting eight arms, with an elevation from the hub to the outward extremity, forming an angle corresponding with the inclination of the shaft, to which the wheel is attached, and thus forming what may be termed a dished wheel. To the arms of the wheel are attached wings, or open buckets (c c) curved as seen in Fig. (2).

(cl ci) is a rim surrounding the hub at a distance of about one third of the Vlength of the arms, from the hub, extending down to the depth of the buckets; to this rim, the buckets are secured, and by means of which their inward ends are closed.

(e e) is a toothed rack placed in a longitudinal opening through the center of the shaft B, extending from the lower end to a third or half the length of it, and has a deep groove to a corresponding distance above; theA rack passes through and is fastened to the center of the wheel hub.

(f f) are bars of iron secured longitudinally to the shaft, at right angles with the central opening above described, with a pro* jection of nearly their whole thickness. The hub of the wheel which otherwise is fitted loosely on the shaft, by means of grooves formed inside of the eye corresponding with roller (m), as seen inFig. 2, which by a` connecting projection, on the under side of the roller, with the sliding block through which the gudgeon of the shaft B passes, at its upper end, `bypressing down or raising the lever K the cogged wheel on the top of the shaft is thrown in or out of gear at will; this cogged wheel I-I on the top of the shaft B. The cogs are beveled in a corresponding degree` with the inclination of the whole structure, and is fitted in the trundle head M, on the horizontal shaft O, on Ywhich is another cog'wheel, B. This runs into another trundle head, S, on an upright spindle, T, thus exhibiting the machinery of a grist mill, which is only an attachment to the novel plan of my water wheel, to show its operation.

In order that others may more fully understand theplan of constructing for, and using vmy water wheel, I will state that the intention is, for the wheel to be propelled by the natural current. For this purpose a swift smooth' stream should be preferred. Cut an excavation in the bank or bluff, half the width of the diameter of the wheel, gradually sloped from top to bottom, in length parallel with the stream, a few feet over the whole diameter of the wheel; into this set a substantial frame of heavy timbers, corresponding in dimensions, with the excavation. The frame as previously described is inclined, leaning to the bank. The inside of the` frame against the bank is walled with plank, to the height the wheel is intended to be used, this wall commencing at the center of the length, extending in a curve around the wheel where the force of the water is applied, up to the gate; from the gate a radiating wall or dam is const-ructed of mason or wood work, and is raised to the height where the wheel is to be run. This wall with one against the bank, extending up the stream, forms the trunk to guide the stream and concentrate its force upon the wheel. The current is broken off when desired to stop the wheel, -by means of a sliding shutter fitted in the gate frame, vand is shown in my model.

vThe shaft B is of wood provided with a suitable step at the lower end; in the formation of the step the cup should be attached to the shaft and the pivot in the timber below.

In constructing the wheel the hub may be made of wood or iron; if of wood it should be provided with an iron box set in theeye and grooved as before mentioned, otherwise if made of ironthere should be projecting sockets to set the arms in, with bolt fastenings. The `number of the arms may bevaried from eight to twelve, or siX- teen, according to the size of the wheel, which may be from twelve to twenty-five or thirty feet in diameter, with buckets from four to ten feet in length and from two to four feet in depth; these buckets or wings may be made of iron or wood, strongly supported from the arms; the rim around the hub, and attached to the end of the buckets may be made of wood or iron; the toothed rack and pinion of cast iron, and arranged as before described, for the purpose of sliding the wheel upon the shaft so as to regulate it to the rise and fall ofthe water; in place of the one rack, two may be used, one on each side, set in opposite grooves cut in the shaft, and thus avoid the necessity of the opening through the shaft.

The building for machinery may be eX- tended out beyond the water frame to any length desired, upon high ground above high water, and connect the machinery with the operative power by the extension of the horizontal shaft.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

So constructing a current water wheel, that it may be raised and lowered, asset forth, in combination with the method'described, for regulating the force of current acting thereon, all arranged and combined,

as set forth in the accompanying drawings7 and specification.

A THOMAS STAMP. Witnesses:

G. H. HoUGH'roN, JAS. B. STAMP. 

